1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a binder and a positive active material composition for a rechargeable lithium battery, and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent times, due to reductions in size and weight of portable electronic equipment, there has been a need to develop batteries suitable for use in the portable electronic equipment, where the batteries have both high performance and large capacity. Currently commercialized lithium batteries have an average discharge potential of 3.7V, and thus are 4V-grade batteries. Such batteries are components applicable to portable telephones, laptop computers, camcorders, and the like, that are called 3 C in a digital generation.
The rechargeable lithium battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. The positive electrode includes a lithiated compound, such as LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiNi1−xCo3O2 (0<x<1), and the like, as a positive active material. However, rechargeable lithium batteries are problematic in that transition elements of the positive active materials are eluted into the electrolyte solutions when the batteries are charged or discharged at high temperatures, or allowed to stand at high temperatures, resulting in deterioration of the cycle-life characteristics thereof.